24 February 2015

Norge15 - A glimmer of hope?

I have given up on the DFDS long ferry routes to Norway from Immingham as they are too inconvenient and the chances of the "competition" starting up this side of hell freezing over, nil.

I was reading another blog where a guy was going to Sweden. His plan was to use the Harwich to Hoek van Holland overnight route, then ride across Germany and Denmark.

That got me thinking and planning. When to go? The last time we went to Norway on the cruise it was June and we had "exceptional" weather according to the locals.  It was dry and mostly warm. So what about August?

A little googling shows that although far more northerly than the UK, the climate is generally favourable due to the gulf stream.

I don't have the holiday to get as far as the North Cape, maybe another time, but the turning around spot needs to be the Atlantic Road near Molde. 

So, it will be out with paper and pencil, the days scribbled out and then working out the distances between each place. At the moment I have worked out it is a little over 600 miles from the Hoek to Hirstshals - the jumping off place for the Norway ferries.

Given Claire's hip I have planned to stop half way or so at around Hamburg and then again at Hirtshals to get the early morning boat across to Kristiansand. I have booked a couple of hotels with pay later/free cancellation terms.

That leaves only FIVE nights (six days to ride about).  It's not enough but we need to make the most of it.

Updates to follow.



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